Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-11-04
OF THE ELECTION RETURNS.
ACT JAsUARY so. 1874.


SEC. 13. 4 8 soon as the POLLS shall close the
officers Of the election shall proceed to count
sll the votes cast for each candidate voted
| for. and mako full retarn of the same in
| triplicate. with return shset in addition, in
all of which the votes received by each can
didete shall be given after his name first
in words then in figures. and shall be sign
ed by all the said officers and by over -eers il
any, or if not so certified, the overseers and
any officer refusing to sign or certify or
either of them, shall write upon each Of
tho returns his or their reason for not signing
or certifying them. The vote soon as
counted. shall also bo publicly and fully de-
clsred from the window to the citizens pre-
sent, and biief statement showing the votes
received by each candidate shall be made
and signed by the election offers as soon
us the votes are counted; and the same shall
be immediately posted upon The door of the
election house for information OF The public.
The triplicate returns shall be enclosed in
envelopes and be sealed Ia the pres euce of
the officers and one envelope, with the unseal-
ed return sheet given 10 the Judge, which
shall contain one list of voters tally papers and
oath OF officers, and another OF SAID envelope,
shall be given to the minority Inspector. All
judges living within twelve miles of the
Prothonotary's office, or within twenty-four
miles, IL tEcir residence re in a town city
or village upon the line of railroad leading
to the county seat, shall before two o'clock
past meridian OF the day after the election
and all other Judges shall, before twelve
o'clock meridian of the second day sitter tho
election. deliver said return, together with
return sheet, to the prothonotaiy of the
court of common pleas OF the county, which
said return shall be tlcd. and the day and the
hour OF filing marked thereon am shall be
preserved by the prothonotary for public
inspection. AT twelve o'clock on the second
day following any election, the prothonotary
OF the court OF common pleas shall present
the said returns to the said court. In coun-
ties where there is no resident president
judge, the associate judge shall perform the
duties imposed upon the court OF common
pleas, which shall convene for said purpose;
the return presented by the prothopotary
shall he opened by said court and computed
by such of its officers aud such sworn assis-
tants as the eonrt snail az rpoint; in the pres.
eice OF the judge or judges OF said court, on
the return certified and GER
tifcates OF election issued under
the seal OF the cpurs Ie now required to
be done by return jadge; and the vote as so
computed and certified sba be made matter
of record in said court. The sessions of said
court shall be Opened TO the public, and in
case the returns of an election district shall be
missing when the returns arc presented or in
any case OF complaint OF a qualified elector
under oath, charging psipable fraud or mis-
take. and particularly specifying the alleged
fraud or mistake, or where fraud or mistake
is apparent on the return. the court, shall ex-
anime the return and IT, IN tho judgment of
the court. il shall bs necessary to a Just re-
turn, sail court shall issue summary process
against tho elect OIL officers ard overseers,
in any OF the election districts complained Of
10 bring them forthwith into court, with all
election papers in their possession; and If pal
pab!e mistake or fraud shall be discovered, it
shall. upon such heaiiiig IS may be deemed
necessary to enlighten the court. bo corrected
By the coart aud 30 certified; but all aliega-
tions OF papabe fraui or mistake shal! be
decided by the said court within three days
after tho day tho returns are brought into
co,it for computation, aud the said inquiry
shall be directed ONLY to palpable fraud or mis-.
take and shall not be deemed judicial adju-
dcaiion to conclude any contest now or here
after 10 be provided by law and the other Of
said iiiplicate returns shall be he placed in
box aud sealed up with tho ballots. If any
of the said judges shall himself be a candidate
for any Office of any election, he shall not sit
with tho court, or act IN counting the returns
of such election. snd ia such cases the other
Judges, il any. shall act.
Given under my hand ut my Office at Butler,
this 6t!, day Of October in the year of our
Lord. 1897, aud in tho liz h year of the Inde-
pendence Of the United States Of North
America,
PETER KRAMER,
Sheriff Of Butler County,